> Site Tours
> Features
> Off the Web
> Dr Know
> Celebrity Surfing
Web Logs
> Terror in America
Specials
> Valentine's Special
> Best of Guide 2001
> Travel Guide
> Education Guide
> Email@30
TIPS to search 1
billion Web pages fast!
|
|
![[Three women talk about their search for love online]](13lead.gif)
Nidhi Taparia and Anita Bora
|
Earlier we relied on matrimonial advertisements in newspapers and friends
playing matchmaker. Today, online dating has become the natural by-product
of our age - an age when the Net makes searching for a prospective life
partner as convenient as browsing for a last-minute Valentine's Day gift.
On the eve of Valentine's, Rediff Guide to the Net spoke to three women on their search for Mr Right in cyberspace.
Priya Menon
Deepti Gupte
Sonali Manjrekar
"We'd stay up late at night talking about everything"
Pune resident Sonali Manjrekar confesses: "I didn't find the man of my
dreams online, but I did meet some good people."
This 21-year-old used the services of Match.com and
met six of her online contacts in real life. Though aware of the cons of
online dating, she has been adventurous and wants to leave no stone unturned
in finding the right person.
After chatting via email or phone for a couple of weeks, she'd set up a date
in a public place. "As a girl you want to call them, not give out your
number," she advises.
Sonali's relationship with Kushal lasted for about five months. "When we
first started chatting it was magical. Like we were meant for each other. We
'd stay up late at night talking about everything."
The next step was exchanging photographs. Once she got to know him better,
they decided to chat on the telephone. "He sounded very different from his
online personality. But we got along due to our common interests."
When they finally met, they gelled very well, but Sonali also knew instantly
that there was no chemistry, just a good basis for friendship.
She went on to meet several others through the dating service. But how did
she know the men were really what they claimed to be? Details like a
biography, photograph, profession, education, age and weight are mentioned,
but that doesn't tell whether the person is "really cool or a maniac".
However, Sonali argues that it would be hard to tell the true character of
the person even if you were meeting him or her through traditional channels.
She has a word of warning: "I recommend it. But be careful, choose well, and
let someone know where you will be when you are going on a date."
She finds physical attraction to be an important factor. "While you're
talking online, you might make a connection, but when you do eventually
meet, looks do count. When I met Kushal, I knew instantly that we'd be
friends but I wasn't physically attracted."
She's still waiting. Meanwhile, a friend of hers will be tying the knot with
someone she met in a chat room.
Sonali is not unhappy: "Ultimately, it's destiny. I'm willing to wait for
the right person, online or offline!"
|
| Read Priya's Story |
Also Read:
-- Elove: Romance in modern times
-- Too mush to love: Anti-valentine spiel
-- First Date Guide Sites to help you prepare
-- Looking for Love?: Find Mr or Mrs Right
-- Love Scopes: Are you compatible?
-- Are you a good Net lover? Take the quiz!
-- Love Letters: A lover's guide
-- Girl's Guide to Valentine's Day
-- Can't buy love? Roshan Paul tries to prove it does
|